The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-06-09

ssOf course" said the Convert Il
ought to have known. But l can't di-
vest myself of the idea that all this
white rock is arctic snow"
..Well, don't know" said the Inn
perturbable; ''this isn't exactly what /
should call arctic"
He had been, with the Maiden, the
first to reach the top, and was gazing
into the depths of the first of the mann
moth Hot Springs. The wind had
blown toward him sudden Whit of
the hot sulphurous steam, and he had
stepped back quickly, only to find that
he had stumbled into one of the inno-
cent-looking rills, that was decidedly
warm enough through his boot.
But what magnificent sight it was!
The whole snowy mass that had looked
cold and silent under the pale moon
cleaning, pulsating with life under
the morning sun. For perhaps a hun
dred acres the white surface was
studded with brilliant pools, set like
jewels, as clear as diamonds, lovelier
frost delicate as lace and firm as mar
trickles softly the gentle overflow of
the lovely lakes, falling, falling, trem-
ulously and without sound, over the
fluted reed-like columns of the ter
races below, only to leave them harder
than they were before.
isn't it Incredible" said the Man
of Sense, THAT water so particularly
clear should hold anything in solution
So particularly hard?"
II don't know" murmured the Inn
perturbable, dreamily. Its like the
careless remark of woman who has
packed her trunks for Europe that
some time she would like to go to the
Yesllowstone; it sounds. remarkably
simple, but you will find before long
that there is an adamantine purpose at
the bottom of It,"
They had reached by this time the
curious little lake with hot springs
bubbling up on one side of it, so that
by choosing your spot you could have
a bath at any temperature you pleased.
Them as likes their bath hot goes
in on the left," explained the intelli-
gent Joseph, land them as likes it
cold goes in on the right, and them
as likes it middlin' goes in in the mid
dle."
They looked patiently at all the
curiosities which Joseph insisted upon
their seeing in the woods, but were
glad to emerge at another part of the
terraces, where the view seemed even
finer than before. Nothing but the
warm bright air about them served to
remind them that it was not winter.
Even the exquisite coloring of the
water, lovely robin's-egg blue, and
the almost gorgeous coloring of the
terraces where part of the deposit had
formed in columns or streaks of the
richest orange and red, or of the dain-
test pink or creamy yellow, failed to
detraet from the general effect of acres
upon acres of snow and ice.
1t seemed almost as If i'm this vast area
every square inch was worth bending
down to examine. They took last
lingering look at Cleopatra's Bowl,
and then began the easy descent.
How softly and slowly these noiseless
little rills, not in the least like restless,
turbulent cascades, slip over the rim
of their beautiful basins and down the
f1uted walls of the terraces, may be
judged from the fact that Joseph told
them they could only go down the
way they were descending, because
the wind that day was blowing the
overflow toward the other side.
"Oh" said the Maiden, with happy
sigh; sit has been like going to Pom
peii and Venice and the Alps and the
Milan Cathedral and the Arctic re-
giOns all in one morning. alice Wei
HngtOn Rollins in Hdrper's.